The Idaho Spending Index serves to provide a fiscally conservative perspective on state budgeting while providing an unbiased measurement of how Idaho lawmakers apply these values to their voting behavior on appropriations bills. Each bill is analyzed within the context of the metrics below. They receive one (+1) point for each metric that is satisfied by freedom-focused policymaking and lose one (-1) point for each instance in which the inverse is true. The sum of these points composes the score for the bill.
Analyst: Niklas Kleinworth
Rating: (0)
Bill Description: Senate Bill 1173 is an enhancement of $1,057,600 and a reduction of 7.00 full-time positions for the Department of Juvenile Corrections for fiscal year 2026. This legislation appropriates a total of $61,320,800 and 402.00 full-time positions to the agency.
Does this budget incur any wasteful spending among discretionary funds, including new line items? Conversely, does this budget contain any provisions that serve to reduce spending where possible (i.e. base reductions, debt reconciliation, etc.)?
This legislation provides $300,000 in general funds to support the Substance Abuse Residential Treatment program within the agency. The department noted these funds are necessary to keep the program whole as costs increase and federal support disappears this year.
The Residential Treatment program clearly outgrew its budget years ago, as it was propped up by funds from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, sourced from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grants. It was well understood that ARPA funding was one-time in nature and should not be used to support ongoing programs. Rather than working to right-size the budget for this program, the agency used these temporary funds for support. It now turns to the Idaho taxpayer to replace those funds. This is wasteful behavior on the part of the department.
(-1)
Is the continuation or growth in ongoing spending, if any, inappropriate for the changes in circumstances, scope of the agency, or current economic environment? Conversely, is the continuation or growth in ongoing spending appropriate given any change in circumstances or economic pressures?
This legislation funds ongoing spending for the Department of Juvenile Corrections at $60,563,200, growing from the base by 15.0% in the last three years. This rate is approximately equivalent to the rate of inflation, demonstrating an acceptable degree of growth within the agency.
(0)
Does the budget grow government through the addition of new permanent FTPs or through funding unlegislated efforts to create new or expanded entitlement programs? Conversely, does this budget reduce the size of government staff and programs except where compelled by new legislation?
This legislation features a reduction of 7.00 FTPs as part of the statewide IT consolidation initiative. Six of these seven positions will be relocated to the Office of Information Technology Services, but the costs associated with these positions will remain with the agency for IT billing. Though small, this is a net reduction in full-time positions statewide.
(+1)
